Color

Colorworks Series: 1: Red Book; 2: Blue Book; 3: Yellow Book; 4: Pastels Book; 5: Black & White Book. Color Charts & Diagrams

A documentary that weaves together visually stunning stories of indigo's cultural roots, its history, and its importance in global trade.

Elena Phipps, textile historian, discusses the history of the red dye derived from the insect cochineal using objects in the Metropolitan Museum's collection as examples. [Click link to MMA Digital Collection]

"There is only one natural dye for blue - indigo. Welcome to the world of natural indigo. Follow the production of the dye from the fields of Sindh, Pakistan, through Laos, Indonesia, and Turkey to the famous Pitchi Reddy farm in India. Renowned natural dye experts Noorjehan Bilgrami, Jenny Balfour-Paul, and Harald Böhmer outline the importance of indigo from its manufacture to the pivotal role it has played in the history of textiles and trade. This documentary also presents rare footage of the dye process in several unique village contexts: the mountains of Nagaland where direct dyeing is still practiced, the island of Sumba where elaborate ikats are dyed and woven, and in Yogyakarta where exquisite batik is made with indigo blue"